Accountability

Accountability = Your kid counts how many cookies you bake, so should you try to sneak one, he will know and call you out on it.

And yes, I cheaped out on the baking this year. Cookies I know my kids like, but I don't really care for. Something fun for them that is not too temping for me. Monkey loved rolling the cookies in sprinkles.

Happy Too-Much-Candy Day

It's that time of the year again.
Halloween.
Some think it's a time for dressing up.
Other's think it's a time for piging out on candy.
I used to be the latter.

I was never a huge fan of dressing up. I went through stages when it was fun, but I wasn't big time into it. Monkey seems to be following in my foot steps. He won't wear anything that requires a mask, hat or makeup. He was a shunk for his first two years because Mommy made him (I love it when they're too young to say no). Then he was a Wiggle (because we went to their concert and he decided he had to be just like Sam Wiggle). This year, he's train tracks. And since there are no train track costumes out there, I had to make it. I'm a crafty person. I figured it would be easy to make.
Yeah, I'm a lot better with paper and glue than I am with fabric.
He looks like he's trying to be a poorly constructed ladder.
But he loves it!
I think he's still too young, at four-years-old, to realize how crappy it is. He'll look back at the pictures someday and say "really, Mom?"
Muffin is still at that too young to say no age. Last year he was a pea pod; costume hand picked by big brother. This year he's a shunk. I'm getting my money's worth out of that Old Navy costume I bought on sale in 2008! Monkey was a big baby (always in the 98th percentile. He's always been tall for his age); so when he was 7 months old for his first Halloween, he wore a 18-24 month costume. It was a little big on him, but still super cute. I then squished him into the same costume the following year. It barely fit, but I made it work. Muffin, at 13 months, is a little small in the costume. He's a tiny one. I don't think the costume will fit him next year, so he wears it today. It fits well enough, and he'll have layers under it.

I'll be missing my meeting tonight. They are opening up earlier for weigh-in only, but I won't make it. Hubby's car is in the shop; he has my van. I could walk to weigh-in with the boys, but that means walking on the highway.
I weighed myself here at home this morning. No change. I wasn't expecting one this week. I ate horribly from Thursday on.
Today starts a new day; a new week.
My challenge this week: To stay out of Monkey's candy stash!

And on one last note...Happy Too-Much-Candy Day from my Boo Crew to your's!

Want More

These last few days have been a struggle.
I'm not reaching for junk food. I just seem to want more than my measured out portions.
Yesterday at the grocery store, Hubby and I found amazing steaks on sale. There were three; all under $3. We grabbed all three of them for dinner. He BBQ-ed them while I made a roasted green bean with tomato salad (so good! One of these days I'll have to post the recipe. If you're a WW member, look it up in the recipe finder. It's a fave in this house).
I knew I wasn't going to eat a whole steak. But I also knew I wanted more than just 3oz. So I measured out 5oz. It was 12 points! And you know what...So worth it! It was melt in your mouth perfection. The bean and tomato salad is one point per serving. I had two servings. When I was done my super yummy meal, I wanted more. Hubby downed one whole steak. Pre-Weight Watchers, I would have too. With a baked potato with the works and most likely something else too.
Since I was still looking for more, I had an apple. It got me to where I needed to be. I still wish I could have had more steak; but I know I made the right choice.
It was hard not to get into the snack cupboard last night too. I kept wandering over to it. Just as I would reach my hand out to open the door, I would repeat "one point left." All I had left to my points for the day; and I wasn't willing to spend my weekly points on a late night snack.
I made it through, Hopefully today is easier, but I doubt it will be. Maybe I haven't been keeping myself busy enough. I have a bunch of little things that need to be done around the house. I'll get to work at getting them done.

Question: The cheerios your 13 month old feeds you are zero points, right?

Yesterday's Overview

Breakfast: Apple and coffee (3pts)
Lunch: Quiche and a salad (13pts)
Dinner: Steak with bean and tomato salad (15pts)
Snack: Apple; pear (0pts)
Pop: Two glasses and one bottle (so bad! No pop today!)

Exercise: 5km walk with the family

Raynaud's Phenomenon

Many years ago, I was diagnosed with Raynaud's Phenomenon. It's a condition that has to do with my blood circulation.
It was pretty bad when I was in my teens. I didn't have too many problems by the time I hit my 20's. Lately though, it's been acting up.
When I was younger, it was my hands that were affected. I'm used to it being mostly my fingers that go numb and sore. So when my toes went numb, I didn't put two and two together. My doctor did though.
At least, that's what he thinks it is. He's thinking of running some testes to rule out other issues.
Raynaud's Phenomenon is a pain in the butt, hands and feet, but I will still be happy to hear that the numbness in my toes is due to it rather than something else more serious.

Yesterday's Overview

Breakfast: Soft Pretzel and coffee (9pts! Yikes!)
Lunch: Soup (5pts)
Dinner: Broccoli quiche with a salad (12pts)
Snacks: Apple, goldfish crackers (4pts)
Pop: One glass (Hubby finally brought up the bottle from downstairs. I'm weak with it up here. I think I should set up a challenge for myself)

Excerise: 6km walk; 40 minutes cardio

I ended up walking a grand total of 12km yesterday; 6km being when I was out for a walk with my  youngest, Muffin. I'm proud of that. If it's not rainning today, I plan to be back out there for another long walk. Maybe I'll talk DH into walking to the grocery store today. We don't need to buy much. We could easily carry what we need back home.

Bad Day Turn Around

I traveled to the city yesterday. Those are days I almost dread because I know I never eat as good as should.
We left early to get to the baby's doctor appointment. Side note: he had surgery a couple of weeks ago; he wasn't healing right and it had to be corrected; now he's doing well, but his doctor wanted to see him just to make sure. Good news; he's still looking good. Poor thing got his flu shot yesterday though.
After the appointment, my mother and I took the boys shopping. I found an awesome pair of winter boots. Needed them since my old boots fell apart last year. The soles fell right off! That's what I get for buying super cheap boots. I didn't spend an arm and a leg yesterday, but they cost more than $13 like my last pair did.
I found a great pair of dress pants too. Perfect for the holiday season coming up. They're black with grey and purple plaid running lightly through them. Perfect to pair up with my white sweater or a white dressy tank and light black cardigan. Perfect to wear to my inlaw's party.
Well, perfect if they still fit by then. I'm thinking they will, but secretly hope they won't and I'll need to go out and find another perfect pair of pants.
I need jeans badly, but didn't find any I liked enough to buy. They need to be super cheap, but still look nice. I don't want to spend too much for something I don't plan on having in my closet for long.
For lunch, we stopped at Wendy's. Normally I would get a small chilli and a baked potato. I didn't yesterday. I got a spicy chicken and a baked potato instead. And I enjoyed! Still no pop though. I had water instead.
We were home by dinner. Since I didn't pull anything out the night before, I made veggie omelettes for everyone. Then we had dessert. Something we normally don't have, but my mom dragged me into an European bakery while we were in the city. She treated the boys to halloween cookies and bought a piece of cake for Hubby and I to share. It was so good!
Then, since we had it in the house and enjoy it, Hubby and I had a glass of wine once the boys were down for the night. It was nice to sip at as I finished up Monkey's halloween costume (he's going to be train tracks) and put together 20 little treat bags for his halloween party at school today. Gummies and little rubber rats. Monkey is so excited to hand them out to his little classmates.
Today, I am focusing on getting back OP.
I have a good start so far. After getting Monkey onto the bus this morning, Muffin and I went for a walk. I pushed that stroller as fast as I could for 6km. Now we're working on warming up and getting ready for lunch. After lunch, when Muffin goes down for his nap, I will do my cardio workout. I'm aiming for 45 minutes today. Maybe I'll push myself for a full hour.

Relationship With Food

My relationship with food isn't a good one.
Truth be told, it never has been.
Even when I was a skinny, little thing.

I'm not even sure where my poor relation started.

My parents were both in the military. They brought the treats into the house and ate whatever they wanted because they could. They both worked out. They both ran. And, on top of it, my mom is one of those people who can eat whatever she wants and not gain from it. If she wants to eat 10 chocolate bars in a row, washing them down with a bag of gummies, she can. Is it health? No. But she can. And she has.

Growing up, the treats were there. The tempation was there. I knew my parents worked out to keep fit. I understood by my teen years what calories were and how to read a food label.

I was lazy. I would wake up at 6am on the weekend, sneak half a pack of cookies in my room and read and snack until lunchtime. I didn't work out. I didn't run, jump, walk and play hard. I hated sports. I would much rather cruise the mall and a slow pace, gossiping with my friends.

As a teen, I was smaller than I am now. I knew if I wanted a chocolate bar, there was a price to pay. Only I wasn't smart about it. Instead of treating myself once and a while, or trying to burn those calories off, I skipped meals.

Fast forward to college.
I was on a tight budget. I didn't know how to cook much other than minute rice, spaghetti, KD and toast. I bought very little food in order to spend more on clothes and booze. Instead of gaining the freshman 15, I lost 20.

Fast forward a few more years. I found myself in a very unhappy, unhealthy relationship. The man sucked all the life out of me. I turned to food for comfort. I spent 6 years pretending to be happy because I thought I was supposed to. I gained weight rapidly.

Once I was free from that relationshop; I had to work hard to find myself. Along the way, I found Hubby. He's changed my life for the better. He taught me how to love myself. He taught me what a good relationship is all about. He loves me for me. And he taught me how to cook.
Little side story: When Hubby and I were only a couple of weeks into being a couple, I wanted to cook him dinner. I had to call my mom to ask her how. She walked me through making rice with veggies, chicken (fresh, not that frozen junk in a box I was used to cooking with) and steamed veggies on the side. It's not rocket science, but I could not do it alone. And I was 24 years old!

I've had many more up and downs (mostly downs) with food. I've tried losing weight on my own before. I lose track of myself and everything else when I'm consumed by trying to count calories. I'm not sure how counting points seems to be easier for me, but it is.

My relationship with food isn't close to being good yet. I will still long to pick the oatmeal chocolate chip cookie over an apple. I will still long for 5 cookies instead of just one. I will still stare longingly at the chocolate bars at the check out. But I am learning to love fresh fruits. I am learning how to have my chocolate and lose weight too.

It's about time I learn how to have a good relationship with food.
Food is fuel. Food is what helps keep me alive.
Food is not a friend. Food cannot comfort.

Yesterday's Overview

Breakfast: Coffee and an apple (3pts)
Lunch: Soup (5 points)
Dinner: Steak with a mushroom red wine sauce (ww recipe), couscous with sauted red peppers and garlic; a couple of glasses of wine (20pts! But so worth it)
Snacks: Low fat cheese and a handful of goldfish crackers (6pts)
Pop: NONE!!! Yay for me! There's a bottle of President's Choice pop downstairs and I haven't brought it up yet. Hubby has joined me on my lack of pop. At home, anyways. I know he's drinking pop at work. I bought him some a few weeks ago to have there.

Exercise: 2.2 mile walk; 35 minutes cardio; 20 minutes yoga (which only gets one activiy point! How much yoga does one have to do to get the points? I used to do yoga when I was pregnant. I think I prefer the results of cardio now)

Pretty Present

What's in the pretty wrapped box?

The start of a pretty bracelet!

I have been wanting to do this for myself for a while now. I bought myself a reward bracelet. For every 10 pounds I lose, I get a new bead/charm. I have four on there right now to mark losing 40 pounds. There's a 5th bead still in the box. I have 8 pounds to go before I hit 50 pounds. Hubby will give me that 5th bead then.

I'm thinking I'm going to make fitness goals for myself too. When I hit a fitness goal, I can have a new bead too.

Yesterday's Overview

Breakfast: Just coffee (3pts)
Lunch: Black bean quesadilla (9pts)
Dinner: Turkey stuffed peppers; mixed green salad with olive oil dressing (8pts)
Snack: granola bar and yogurt (6pts)
Pop: None! Three days in a row.

Exercise: 5km walk